Google is testing new UI and features for Google Calendar

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Much in the same way that Google is currently testing features out for Gmail, we are now seeing updated UI and new features for the Google Calendar Android app.

Like many other companies, Google tests a lot of their software internally and externally before publishing it for the rest of us to use in anger. Recently I was able to use an Android phone with a new version of Timely running on it. Timely is Google’s internal name for the Calendar app that ships with every device approved to run Google Mobile Services. The screenshots that were captured from this app have been augmented to protect the account user’s identity, and it was made clear that there was no way to know whether or not this design and feature set was final.

The biggest thing you’ll notice from this new version of Google Calendar is the total visual overhaul. This new design is entirely minimal, replacing grids and hard lines with blocks of flat color everywhere in order to offer a cleaner, softer UI with very simple mechanics. Using the app is just as pleasing as looking at it, with visual flourishes that couldn’t be captured in screenshots.

Scrolling from month to month revealed a parallax scrolling effect as the random header image for each month flew by. The randomness of the images chosen reminded me of the Chromecast home screen, where each rotating image is a photo taken by someone. It’s a massive departure from the app we have now when it comes to looks, without really taking you away from the content you need in a calendar.

Two big features that stuck out at me in using this new app was the daily agenda and the social integration, both of which are big things that Google Calendar competitors have been doing for a little while now. Daily agenda is exactly what it sounds like, instead of opening the app and looking at your individual appointments you can have a presentation of the day emailed to you. Birthdays are available in this version of the app as well, pulling from your contacts list which now includes Google+ data. You can see the birthdays in your calendar feed all the time if you want them, or you can go specifically to the birthday cake in the swipe in menu and see a list of the upcoming birthdays.

I didn’t get anything close to a launch date for these features, and remember this wasn’t a finished product I was using, but it seems likely that this is one of the many things Google will be showing off during their annual developer conference.

The app felt ready for the public, and as I look at the version of Google Calendar on my own phone I can’t wait to use this beautiful new experience full time, but there’s just no knowing for sure with these kinds of things.